An aqueous coating composition comprising a crosslinkable water-dispersible hyperbranched macromolecule(s) wherein the composition when drying has an open time of at least 20 minutes, a wet edge time of at least 10 minutes, a tack free time .ltoreq.15 hours, a dust free time .ltoreq.5 hours and an equilibrium viscosity of .ltoreq.5,000 Pas at any solids content when drying in the range of from 20 to 55% by weight using any shear rate in the range of from 9.+-.0.5 to 90.+-.5 s.sup.-1 and at 23.+-.2.degree. C.